Lifestyles of the Marauders
by You Had My Heart
Summary: The Marauder's are back at Hogwarts for their sixth year, and things are about to change! Focuses on both the four Marauders AND the Gryffindor Girls-Lily Evans and her closest friends. First fanfic I've written in a LONG time, so feedback is love!
1. Reunion on the Train

_Another take on the Marauders, starting with their sixth year at Hogwarts. James/Lily obviously, but still toying around with ideas for the others… ;)_

_DISCLAIMER: Not mine, or I wouldn't be publishing it HERE, I'd be using it to get even richer (if that's even possible o_o). Angel Mitchell is, however, all my own creation._

**Reunion on the Train**

"Hey, Evans."

There was no mistaking the smirk that was splayed across James Potter's face, eyes glinting the way they always did whenever they were fixed on a certain red head. For her part, Lily looked less than enthralled about being singled out by the guy she knew very well half of the female population at Hogwarts would do anything to try to impress, especially when that meant being stopped in the middle of the corridor while trying to get back to her compartment of the train.

"Potter," she greeted back with a slight nod of the head, not bothering to hide her annoyance with him. She made a move to keep walking only to have him sidestep in front of her, blocking her way completely.

"You have a good summer, I hope?" he asked in a much more casual tone. Lily could already see where this was going, but seeing as so far he was just being friendly, she saw no reason why she shouldn't be perfectly polite.

"It was alright. It's always good to be back, though," she replied honestly. She loved her family dearly (even her sister, Petunia, despite their differences), but there wasn't anything quite like the feeling of being back at Hogwarts, surrounded by her closest friends. "I trust you enjoyed yourself over the summer as well?"

James' smile faltered slightly at that, a strange look coming on his face as he scratched the back of his head awkwardly and muttered, "Well, it was certainly eventful…" As if catching what he was doing he quickly dropped his hand, the cheerful look returning almost at once. "I got to see Sirius all the time, though, so that was exciting!"

At the mention of his best friend, both he and Lily glanced towards the compartment James had been sitting in up until a couple minutes ago. It came as no surprise whatsoever to see who his companions were, sure that she couldn't remember a day when the four of them hadn't been close. Remus Lupin had a book set up against his knees and was attempting to read, though by the look of it he was finding difficulty in doing so with the smallest of them, Peter Pettigrew, leaning over his shoulder, loudly asking questions as he tried to follow along. Sirius Black, she was surprised to see, wasn't paying either of them any attention, sitting far from either of them gazing listlessly out the window, so unlike his usual self that it was almost frightening.

"Apparently it wasn't nearly as exciting for him," she teased half-heartedly, the worry evident in her voice as she furrowed her eyebrows, looking back up to James with concern written across her features. "I don't think I've ever seen him look like that before. Is he alright?"

If anything, that statement seemed to make James even more uneasy than before, shrugging slightly and not quite meeting her eye as he muttered, "Never better."

Feeling not at all assured, Lily was interrupted before she had the chance to call him out.

"Oi, Jamie! I thought we'd been over this already! You do _not _keep my girlfriend away from me when I haven't seen her in so long!"

While James was looking mildly affronted by the use of the nickname, a huge grin spread out across Lily's face, barely noticing how quickly he moved out of the way as she threw herself forward, tackling her best friend in a hug.

"Angel! I can't believe I made it all summer without you!" she squealed as she released her again. "I missed you so much!"

Angel Mitchell had been one of the first friends Lily had made during her first year, most likely due to the fact that they shared a dormitory together in Gryffindor tower. At first she had thought the slightly younger girl was quite eccentric, and that belief was only strengthened as their friendship grew. She had also been a bit jealous at first of her naturally good looks-well shaped features, stunning figure, pale complexion, crystal blue eyes, wavy black hair-but of course, Angel had been quick to assure her that she was nothing compared to the green-eyed beauty, and the two of them had laughed about it.

"Oh, trust me, I missed you, too!" Angel grinned right back, turning to look at James again and adding cockily, "I was even starting to miss _you _idiots." Rather than get offended, James just laughed, much more calmly stepping forward and embracing her as Lily had done, only much more loosely.

"Of course you missed me, Sis," he teased, calling her by the affectionate nickname _he _had given _her,_ throwing a wink Lily's direction as he added, "Everyone misses me, even if they don't like admitting it."

"Just keep telling yourself that," Lily sighed, but the corners of her mouth were twitching as she fought not to smile. Noticing this, James looked suddenly elated.

"You should come sit with us instead!" he said eagerly, obviously hoping this was a sign that things were actually starting to get somewhere this time. "I bet the guys have missed you, too, so it would be rude not to at least come in and say hello…"

"I don't know if-" Lily started to protest, but Angel replied, "Sure!" Catching the look Lily gave her as James retreated back into the compartment looking as if he had hit the jackpot, she muttered under her breath, "It won't kill you, Lils. It's the first day back, cut the poor guy some slack." Blinking, she proudly announced, "Rhyme time!" before following James, half-dragging Lily in with her.

It was Sirius who looked up first as the compartment door slid closed again. Any sign of his earlier brooding seemed to disappear immediately as he perked right up, sitting up straighter and letting out that infamous laugh of his.

"Bloody hell, Prongs! You got Princess _and _Flower-Power to come back with you? How'd you manage that one?"

Lily made a face at the names before shaking her head, cautiously taking a seat near the door. "Nice to see you, too, Black," she smiled weakly at him, turning to mouth the word, "traitor!" at Angel, who pretended not to see her as she sat down on the other side of Remus.

"Well, what it is," she began to explain with a smirk, keeping her eyes on Sirius, "is that your enormous ego somehow combined with his, and the resulting mass was so huge it created its own gravitational pull and sucked us in."

Lily burst out laughing, and Remus chuckled lightly, slowly closing his book and setting it off to the side, looking between his two friends with a rather amused look on his face.

"I dare say she may be on to something," he told them jokingly, turning to smile warmly at the girl now on his left. "Good to see you again, Angel." Looking across at the others, he added, "And you as well, Lily. How is your sister doing?"

"Oh, you know," Lily gave a roll of her eyes, "same old Tuney."

Peter was frowning slightly, leaning forward in his seat in order to see around Remus to look at Angel before looking back to Lily. There was a confused look on his face, and after a moment's hesitation, he asked softly, "Won't Marlene and Alice wonder where you are?"

Lily's eyes widened slightly. "Shoot, I told them I'd only be gone for a moment!" she groaned, glancing uncertainly at the door. James, who had eagerly taken up the seat between her and Sirius, frowned as he realized what she was thinking.

"It's okay. Frank showed up to talk to Alice shortly after I got there, so Marlene and I figured we'd give them some space," Angel assured her, as if wanting to make sure there was no doubt that she hadn't just ditched their other friends. "She was going to try to find Mary, actually."

Sirius let out a long whistle at that, smirking as he stretched and said lazily, "Can't blame her."

Almost immediately, Lily's eyes had narrowed, looking past James to give him a dirty look. "Sirius Black, tell me you didn't!"

"Aww, is someone interested in my _personal _relationships now?"

"N-no!" Lily blushed slightly as he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively at her, looking slightly repulsed. "Merlin, no. It's just…well, Mary's…"

"A female version of you, as far as the slut factor goes," Angel said bluntly. Lily gasped, staring at her as if unable to believe that she had really just said that, but the rest of them just laughed. Sirius looked a little sheepish but shrugged, knowing that it wasn't exactly the first time he had been called out on his playboy ways.

"Ah, whatever. Doesn't mean she isn't hot. But, if it makes you feel any better, Evans, I haven't touched her, I swear."

"Good! That has to make you one of the only ones in the entire school, but…" Lily trailed off with another blush as she realized how badly she was talking about one of her friends. Not a great friend or anything, but still.

"I-I heard that she's dating a second year now," Peter spoke up a bit shyly, looking around at them all before giving a little shrug. "It probably won't last long, but I feel sort of sorry for the guy…I mean, he's only a kid."

Angel pulled a face. "Absolutely disgusting, that. He'll be needing therapy for years," she muttered a bit bitterly, apparently having none of the same qualms as her friend did about talking about Mary behind her back. Then again, she was also far more likely to speak up and say such things to her face, too.

"Many of us haven't seen each other in months," Remus spoke up, quietly but firmly. "I would think we would have something a little more interesting to talk about."

The subject was immediately dropped, all of them shooting him a guilty look before launching into a conversation about what they had all done over the summer. As usual, no one bothered to ask Angel why she was uncharacteristically silent as this topic was breached. She had made it perfectly well known from day one at Hogwarts just what kind of a man her Muggle father was, and what his opinion was on having both a witch wife and a witch daughter. She and Sirius had once joked that their fathers were the polar opposites of one another, and that the world would very likely explode if they were ever to be left in the same room with one another.

Lily couldn't help but notice, once again, how something about James was a bit off as he spoke about the various adventures he and Sirius had gone on, even if there was a grin on his face; nor could she ignore the fact that Sirius seemed to have very little to say on the matter himself, seeming to draw into himself more and more as they continued to talk. The girls exchanged glances at this but neither of them said anything, following Remus and Peter's leads and not making a big deal out of it.

Sirius must have known that they were starting to notice that something was up, because he suddenly let out a loud yawn, closing his eyes and leaning back against the seat. "I'm exhausted," he whined, opening his eyes only to scowl down at his stomach as it let out a loud growl. "And starving. Damn you, train, hurry up!"

As if the train had heard him, it began to slow down, and as Angel and Sirius both wiped away the condensation on the windows and peered out, they could see the lights of the castle beckoning them up ahead through the darkness.

"Just think, guys," James sighed wistfully. "We only get to make this trip one more time."

A sad silence settled over the six of them at these words. As they were all about to start their sixth year, that did indeed mean the next time they boarded the Hogwarts Express at Platform 9 ¾ would also be their last.

"We'll deal with that when it comes, I guess," Sirius sighed as the compartments all down the train began to open, people crowding into the corridor trying to get to the exits. The grin was soon back on his face as he stood to his feet, adding with much more enthusiasm, "For now, let's just worry about getting ourselves to that feast!"

Wow, so this is the first fanfic that I've written in YEARS, but I've really been wanting to do something with the Marauders lately. This chapter was just sort of an introduction to the characters…the other girls will have to come into play in the next chapter, though.

I would also like to point out that because I'm not planning on CONSTANTLY checking the books to make sure everything matches up with what's revealed about the past in canon. Just saying that now so I don't get told how something doesn't fit with the books, because I already know that and am willing to accept that, lol.

That being said, I don't exactly know how this is going to go, because I don't have much of it planned out yet. I'll be more than happy to listen to suggestions, if anyone would like to give them! =)


	2. The Feast and the Black

**The Feast and the Black**

"So, tell me something," Marlene, a girl with curly brown hair and dark eyes, asked interestedly, stabbing at a potato with her fork. "Do all guys make complete pigs out of themselves when they eat?"

At the same time, James and Sirius looked up from their heaping plates of food, forks still halfway to their mouths. Considering the question for a moment, the latter decided that it wasn't worth the time and just shrugged, continuing to shove select favorites from the feast into his mouth. James, however, smirked and replied cheekily, "Of course not. Take a look at Moony and Wormtail over there. Dainty little things when they eat, they are."

Swallowing, Sirius added eagerly, "It's kind of pathetic, really. Quite feminine."

Remus and Peter had looked up at this, Peter looking as if he couldn't decide whether to laugh or to protest the idea that he was at all feminine or dainty. In the end, he settled with turning to look helplessly at Remus, as if relying on him to be the first to speak. After a moment of watching their two best friends with a look of disgust, said boy replied dryly, "Well, I suppose we can't all be like the two of you, gorging yourselves with as much food as possible in some sort of competition when we all know you're both going to end up being sick all night over it, anyway. As brilliant of a plan as that sounds, I think I'll stick with being feminine and not having that kind of experience on the first night back."

Feeling encouraged, Peter gave a little laugh. "It makes a great memory, though, doesn't it?" he smirked. "You remember last year, right?"

"You mean when the entire dormitory was kept awake by the sound of them vomiting in the other room? Why yes, unfortunately, I _do _remember that," Remus grinned at the embarrassed looks on the other two Marauders' faces. Obviously, they could remember the night just as well as everyone else, if not better.

"Like I said," Marlene laughed lightly, turning her attention back to her girls, "guys are disgusting. Well, _most _guys, anyway."

"I resent that!" Frank Longbottom called to her from further down the table where he sat with his girlfriend, but he was laughing.

Leaning forward a bit in his seat, the trademark smirk came onto Sirius' face. He would recognize the giggle of the girl sitting on Lily's right anywhere. One glimpse of the familiar bleach blond hair was all it took for the comment to fall so easily from his tongue: "What are you laughing at, Blondie?" Pale blue eyes instantly narrowed, turning to fix themselves upon him, a thoroughly deadly look on the young woman's porcelain face. Next to her, Lily and Angel exchanged amused looks, not that they would dare let their friend catch them.

"Nikki hates that, you know," the latter reminded him. "How many times have we told you that?"

"Way too many for me to keep track of," he admitted proudly, "and she has no one to blame but herself! I mean, come on, you're so cute when you're miffed about something." Nicole blinked in surprise, looking as if she didn't at all appreciate her signature look being called 'cute'. Nikki was usually one of the most laid back, fun loving girls you would ever meet, but sometimes even those closest to her would say she could be just plain scary.

It was the look that usually did it, the one that made you feel as though she was looking past you and staring into the very depths of your soul. It was usually enough to make anyone cringe back, ashamed of whatever it was they had done to deserve such a look, but Sirius didn't seem fazed by it at all. He simply sat there, staring right back at her with a grin on his face. Finally, she gave a small, awkward laugh and looked away, leaving him looking rather proud.

The rest of the feast carried on as usual, the whole room filled with the excited babble of the students as they filled each other in on what all had happened during the summer. So many friends were seeing each other for the first time since school had ended the previous year, and it was easy as always to pick the new first years out of the crowd. James and Sirius even seemed to have taken the hint and slowed down a bit, at least until desserts came around. At long last, the evening ended, and everyone was dismissed to head back to their dormitories.

"I'm so exhausted, I'll probably fall asleep as soon as we get back!" Lily was heard telling her group of friends as they filed out of the room. James perked up at hearing her voice, causing the others to laugh.

"I was proud of you earlier, you know," Remus told him teasingly, referring to the train ride. "Who knows, maybe if you keep acting like an actual human being when she's around…" He trailed off with a little shrug, his meaning obvious.

"You just have to let her get to know the real you a little better, instead of trying to show off all the time and coming across as a jerk," Peter added thoughtfully. James looked a little offended at first but then just sighed.

"I know," he admitted, looking as though it hurt his pride to say such a thing. "I don't always mean to look like such an ass, but sometimes things just get out of hand. Maybe I'll have to try tuning it down a little this year. Well. When she's around, that is." He smirked at that last part, nudging Sirius playfully in the side. "What about you, Pads? What amazing woman-killer advice do you have for me?" he teased.

Any witty remark or sexual innuendo was forgotten as a slightly smaller body slammed hard against him, knocking him back a few steps. Whipping around to see who it was who had hit him, he snapped angrily, "Hey! How about next time you look where the hell you're-"

He stopped abruptly mid-sentence, his mouth suddenly too dry to speak. The fourteen year old Slytherin boy in front of him was glaring back coldly, with so much anger and hate shining in his eyes, eyes the exact same shade of grey as Sirius'. They were eyes that were much too bright, much too wet, the expression something that would be burned into him for the rest of his life, he was sure of it.

It was like an invisible fist had closed around his chest and was slowly and painfully crushing his ribcage. It hurt to breathe, his tongue feeling so swollen that he didn't dare try to speak. Then again, what was there that he could possibly say? He had known what he was leaving behind, what he was saying goodbye to, and he had been okay with it. There was nothing left for him at Grimmauld Place, and he had no regrets. Absolutely none.

Except this part. Except _him._

Regulus blinked suddenly, the anger replaced with a different emotion completely, one that caused Sirius to let out a soft, barely audible whimper. Biting his lip, the younger turned and hurried off in the direction of the dungeons, shoving other students out of his way in his desperation to put as much space between them as possible.

Sirius was vaguely aware of someone putting their arm around him, and next thing he knew James' voice was right next to him, murmuring, "Come on, Sirius. Let's get to the dormitory."

_Sirius. _It was odd in a way how strange your own name could sound coming from the lips of your best friend when it wasn't what you were used to them calling you. He must really be out of it if James was resorting to using first names with him. Giving a stiff nod, he started walking, the sudden seriousness of the group extremely unsettling for anyone who passed them.

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"I never told him goodbye."

The mumble took the three boys by surprise, each looking over at the bunk in which Sirius lay staring up at the canopy. He hadn't been himself when they had guided him back here, making up excuses for him that he was just tired and needed to get some sleep as they slipped him up to the dorm. Frank seemed to have seen through that story, though, because he hadn't come up yet, apparently giving them some time together to try to get things sorted out.

Peter began to ask what he meant, but Remus and James both sent him looks that immediately had him shutting up, looking down at his feet awkwardly, looking thoroughly uncomfortable with the situation. Tentatively, Remus asked him gently, "Do you think that's why he's mad at you?"

"I didn't even leave a note," Sirius said quietly, closing his eyes. "Our parents would have had to have told him. Merlin knows what spin they put on it. I promised…when we were younger, I promised him that no matter what, we'd always be on the same side. I promised that I wouldn't hurt him."

It wasn't often that Sirius let his walls down for long enough to let anyone in to see what all he was going through, content most of the time with hiding just how sick he was, how messed up everything with his family had made him. He was rarely truly open with anyone about his life, sure that there were only four people who had ever dealt with the real him. Three of them were in the room with him right now, while the other would most likely never speak to him again.

"Do you think Regulus really blames you?" Remus pressed, while James and Peter exchanged worried looks. This was the sort of thing they had learned to leave to their werewolf friend.

"Don't you get it?" Sirius snapped, sitting up suddenly. "I left him there! I left him with _those people_, and I broke my promise. What do you think's going to happen to him now that I'm not there to protect him? You think they're going to risk having him turn out like me?" He gave a humorless laugh, the thought of what life would be like for his little brother making his stomach twist into an unpleasant knot. "There's a reason he hasn't turned out like the other Slytherins yet, and that's because I've been there his whole life fighting for him, trying to make him see how sick and wrong the family is. Without me there…"

"Sirius, you needed to get out of there," Remus said firmly, interrupting him. "You did the right thing. Staying there would have killed you."

"And now it'll do so much worse to Reg," Sirius whispered, looking pained. Silence fell between the four of them once again, none of them exactly sure what the right words were, or if there were any for a situation like this one. Looking around at all of them, Sirius gave himself a mental shake, clearing his throat before adding much more boldly, "Look, I don't want to advertise my personal life and have it out there on display for everyone, but if I seem a little out of it for the next few days, you'll know why. Just…don't make a big deal out of it, okay?"

"It's not going to stay a secret that you ran away this summer," Peter squeaked nervously, half expecting the older boy to snap at him. Instead, he just smiled weakly.

"I'm okay with people finding out that I ran away," he said with a sigh as he laid back down, chewing on his bottom lip. "What I'm not okay with is people finding out that it bothered me."

"And what about Reg?" James asked quietly. "What are you going to do about him?"

Sirius didn't answer. Whether it was because he didn't feel like talking anymore or because he honestly didn't have an answer, none of them could really tell.

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Regulus has become sort of a favorite character of mine lately. I think far too little attention is given to him and his relationship with Sirius, and just how sad of a life he really led...

CREDIT FOR NIKKI RONNON GOES TO **MY SILVER GUARDIAN**! 3 She'll be in it more in chapters to come, I promise.


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